Can washer



M. J. WILCOX Nov. 3, 1959 CAN WASHER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 15, 1958 INVENTOR. MARTIN J. WI LCOX ATTORNEY Unimd i s Patenf O CAN WASHER Martin J. Wilcox, Portland, Oreg. Application July 15, 1958, Serial No. 748,642

Claims. Cl. 134-68) This invention relates in general to the washing of containers in which foods and other products are to be sealed, and relates in particular to the washing of cylindrical cans, which are most commonly used for this purpose, and is specifically concerned with the proper washing of the interior of the can.

It is important that the inside of each can, prior to the filling of a can in a cannery, for example, should be given a thorough washing in order to insure that the interior of each can is entirely free of dust or any other foreign particles. Various means and devices have heretofore been used for such can washing, but a common objection to most of these has been that the washing requires a considerable time as well as labor, if done thoroughly, including time for adequate drying after the washing. While some machines have previously been developed for performing the can washing operation more rapidly, it. has been found that speed of operation has sometimes been gained at the expense of adequate thoroughness in the washing of the interiors of the cans.

' An object of the present mventlon Is to provide an im-.

proved washing device, adapted particularly for cylindrical cans, which will subject the interior of the can to a thorough'washing as the cans are moved through the device in rapid succession. I

A related object of the invention is to provide an improved can washer in which the washed cans are; similarly and immediately given a drying treatment as they con:

tinue their'course through the device.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved can washing machine which will be suitable for use in any cannery where cans are immediately being u sedin rapid succession, and through which the cans can be conveyedand then continue on'by ordinary conveyormeans 'to various stations'in the cannery where the filling of the cans is. to take place. I v 1 ,A further object oftheinvention is. to provide an efficient can washing device which, in addition to being rap-id and thoroughly satisfactory in operation, will also be simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and which will notinvolve any particular problems of maintenance i 2' Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional elevation of one of the series of nozzles used for water and steam; and

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the same nozzle taken on line 66 of Fig. 5.

In Fig. 1 the reference character 10 indicates various angle iron members which form a skeleton frame in which the various movable and stationary members of the device are supported. A delivery chute by which the-cans are caused to pass into the device is shown on the left in Fig. 1 and indicated in general by the reference character 11, and this includes side guide rails 11', a bottom rail 12 and a center top rail 13. The bottom and top rails 12 and 13 continue entirely through the device. The cans leave the device by means of the chute 14 shown on the right of Fig. 1, which chute is provided with side guiderails 14. The cans enter the device in upside down position, that is to say, with their open ends down, and:

'A parallel and cooperating endless belt 18 is mounted on thetwo rollers 19 and 20 which also rotate in counter clockwise direction, one. of them being driven (by means not shown), causing the endless belt 18 to travel in the direction indicated by the arrow Y.' However, the belt 18 travels at a slower speed than the belt 15, which is an important and necessary feature. The two belts 15 and 18 are so positioned that their opposed faces will be spaced apart a distance equal to the external diameter, of the cans C, Inorder to maintain both belts in constant contact with the cans as the cans move along in this portion of the device, a pair of spring arms 21, each having one end' secured to a supporting member 22, have their free ends pressing against the belt 15, and similarly ,a pair ofspring arms 23, secured at one end to a supporting side on the bottom rail 12, enter the device through the chute 11, they are contacted by the belt. 15 and the'belt 18.

These objectsand other incidental advantages are .at-

tained by the improved and simplified washer of the present invention as hereinafter briefly described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

v In the drawings:

F ig. 1 is aplain view of the entire device with the top cover removed, with the drivingmechanism for driving the threeendless belts in the device omitted for clarity, and with portions of some of the frame members broken Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevation on line 22 of Fig. 1 drawn to a larger scale 7 V Fig.' 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 1 drawn to a still largersc'ale than Fig. 2; H

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section on line 4-4 ofFig. 1 drawn substantially to the same scale as Fig. 2;

Since the portions of 'the two belts which contact the cans are moving in opposite directions the cans are rotated by the belts (in clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1). However, since the belt 15 is traveling at a greater speed than the companionbelt 18, the cans, in addition to being rotated, will also continue to move along in their course. During this period the cans pass over a series of nozzles, later described, which are 10 cated below and slightly to one side of the bottom rail 12, the nozzles being positioned preferably approximately along the center line of travel of the cans, with the bOt'- tomrails 12 located slightly off center. The first group of nozzles direct jets of hot waterup into the traveling and rotating cans. The next. group of nozzles direct jets of hot steam up into the cans.

When the cans reach the end of the course of the belt 18 they come into, contact with side guide rails 25 (Fig. 1) while still in contact with the belt 15. The momentum of the cans then carries them along beyond the end of the course of the belt 15 and, guided by the side rails. 25, they come into contact with a third traveling belt 26. This third belt is moving in the same direction as the cans, the direction being indicated by the arrow Z in Fig. 1. I The belt 26 is supported on the rotating rollers 27 and 28, the roller 28 beingdriven bysuitable means (not shown).

. Paralleling the belt 26, and spaced from the .belt 26,- a distance equal to the outside diameter of the cans, is a heated wall 32. Spring arms 29, attached at one end to Patented Nov. 3, 1959 a. supporting member 30 (Fig. 1), have their free ends bearing against the traveling belt 26 so as to cause the belt 26 to have constant contact with the cans as they are moved along by the belt. The cams, while being moved along by the belt also at the same time: are kept in constant contact with the heated wall 32 until the cans reach the side guide rails 14 of the discharging chute 14.

Briefly, in their travel through the device, the cans then are first subjected to upwardly-directed jets of hot water, then to similarly directed jets of steam, and finally move along the heated wall 32. Not only does the hot washing water drain quickly from the moving cans, but the hot steam, and finally the contact with the heated wall, by keeping the cans in heated condition, facilitates the drying of the cans, so that by the time the cans pass from the device they are substantially dry.

,A sheet metal guard 25' (Fig. l), secured on the outside of the guide rails 25, prevents any water from the belts 15 and 18 from being thrown onto the belt .26, the purpose being to keep this last belt 26 as dry as possible. Another sheet metal guard 31 (see also Fig. 4), supported by fingers v31' attached to a steam pipe 42, also helps to protect the belt 26 from receiving any water which might be splashed from the belt 15.

Referring now to Fig. 2, a pair of nozzles 34 are shown mounted on a hot water delivery pipe 46, and also four identical nozzles 35 are shown mounted on a steam delivery pipe 42. These nozzles are all in alignment, positioned substantially along below the center of the path of travel of the cans C and located below and slightly to one side of the bottom rail 12, as previously mentioned. The number of hot water nozzles in the first group and the number of steam nozzles in the second group may be varied, depending upon the size of the device, etc., but for ordinary conditions in cannery operation, and for cylindrical cans of customary size, I have found that a pair of hot water nozzles and three or four steam nozzles, as shown, will be generally adequate.

The shape and construction of these hot water and steam nozzles will be understood from. Figs. and 6. Each nozzle has a cylindrical lower portion 36 which is threaded on the outside so as to enable the nozzle to be screwed into a pipe fitting. The upper half 37 of the nozzle is solid except for the inclined jet channels 38. Preferably although not necessarily, two opposite exterior Walls on the upper portion of the nozzle are so formed as to slope inwardly upwardly. The jet channels 38 are located all in the same central vertical plane and these channels slope obliquely, at varying angles in the same general direction. The nozzles are so set in the device that the vertical plane of the jet channels will coincide approximately with'the center line of travel of the cans. Thus the jets from these nozzles, directed upwardly and obliquely against a rotating travelling can, will be able to "strike substantially every part of the interior of the open can.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, water for the device is delivered from a suitable supply' pipe (not shown) to an inlet connection 40, and steam is delivered from a suitable steam source through the steam inlet connection 39. The supply of water is controlled by the valve 43 and steam is delivered into the Water line throughthe pipe 44 under the control of the valve 45. The resulting ,hot water passes through pipe 46 to the water nozzles 34 ('Fig. 2). Steam is delivered through the valve 41 to the steam pipe 33 which leads to a steam coil 33', by which thewall 32 is heated. From this steam coil 33' a steam pipe 42 leads to the steam nozzles 35.

A suitable Water collecting pan 47 (Figs. 2 and 3) is placed beneath thearea where the Washing and the dropping of thewater from the cans will take place, and the pan 47 .is provided with a suitabledrain 48.

The jets of hot water and steam from the nozzles .34

and 35, striking against the inside faces of the bottoms of the cans, have a tendency to thrust the cans upwardly. However, the top rail 13 limits any such temporary upward movement on the part of the cans.

Several modifications could be made in the device without departing from the principle of the invention, but it is essential in the carrying out of the invention that the cans should be rotated during their passage over the hot Water and steam nozzles and also that they should be kept in upside down position, that is with their open ends down, during the entire washing and drying treatment.

I claim:

1. In a washer for cans and the like, a guideway extending through the Washer, a bottom can-supporting rail in said guideway, a moving, endless, substantially vertical belt so positioned as to have a working stretch forming one side wall for said guideway in one portion of said washer, said working stretch travelling in a forward direction with respect to said guideway, a companion endless belt so positioned as to have a working stretch forming the side wall for said guideway opposite said working stretch of said first mentioned belt, the spacing between said working stretches of said belts constituting the width of said guideway and being equal approximately to the exterior diameter of the cans handled by said washer, said working stretch of said companion belt travelling in a rearward direction with respect to said guideway but at a slower rate of speed than the working stretch of said first mentioned belt, spring means causing said working stretches of said belts to bear against contacted cans, whereby cans contacted by said Working stretches of said belts will be rotated and will be moved forwardly in said guideway in said portionof said washer, nozzles centrally positioned below said guideway in said portion of said washer for discharging jets of hot water and steam upwardly into. said guideway, a third endless belt similarly having a working stretch forming one side wall for said guideway in another portion of said washer andtravelling in a forward direction with respect to said guideway, means forming a wall for said guideway opposite said working stretch of said third belt, means for supplying drying heat in said latter mentioned portion of said washer, and means causing said working stretch of said third belt to bear against contacted cans.

2. In a washer for cans and the like, aguideway extending through the washer, a bottom can-supporting rail in said guideway, a moving, endless, substantially vertical belt so positioned as to have a working stretch form? ing one side wall for said guideway in one portion of said washer, said Working stretch travelling in .a forward direction with respect to said guideway, a companion endless belt so positioned as' to have a working stretch forming the side Wall for said guideway opposite said working stretch of said first mentioned belt, the spacing between said working stretches of said belts constituting the width of said guideway and being equal to the exterior diameter of the cans handled by said washer, said working stretch of said companion belt travelling in a rearward direction with respect to said guideway but at a slower rate of speed than the working stretch of said first mentioned belt, means causing said working stretches of said belts to bear against contacted cans, whereby cans contacted bysaid workingstretches of said belts will be rotated and will also be moved forwardlyinsaidguideway in said portion of said washer, and a series of similar nozzles centrally positioned below said guideway in said portion of said washer for discharging jets of hot Water and steam upwardly into said guideway, the

rst nozzles discharging jets of hot water and the remaining nozzles discharging jets of steam upwardly into said guideway, each of said nozzles having a lowerchamher and jetchannels leading upwardlrfrom said chamber to the top of the nozzle, said jet channels located in the same medial vertical plane passing through the nozzles and extending upwardly at various degrees of angularity.

3. A device for washing cans and the like including a guideway through the device, a bottom rail in said guideway, a moving, endless, substantially vertical belt so positioned as to have a working stretch forming one side wall for said guideway in one portion of said device, said Working stretch travelling in a forward direction with respect to said guideway, a companion endless belt so positioned as to have a working stretch forming the side wall for said guidewayopposite said working stretch of said first mentioned belt, the spacing between said working stretches of said belts constituting the width of said guide way and being equal to the exterior diameter of the cans handled by said device, said working stretch of said companion belt travelling in a rearward direction with respect to said guideway but at a slower rate of speed than the working stretch of said first mentioned belt, a series of nozzles positioned below said guideway in said portion of said device for discharging jets of hot water and steam upwardly into said guideway, the first nozzles being adapted to discharge jets of hot water and the remaining nozzles to discharge jets of steam upwardly and centrally into said guideway, a third endless belt similarly having a working stretch forming one side wall for said guideway in another portion of said device and travelling in a forward direction with respect to said guideway, a heated wall for said guideway opposite said Working stretch of said third belt, and spring means causing said working stretches of said belts to bear against contacted cans.

4. A washer for cans and the like including a guideway through the washer, a bottom can-supporting rail in said guideway, a moving, endless, substantially vertical belt so positioned as to have a working stretch forming one side wall for said guideway in one portion of said washer, said working stretch travelling in a forward direction with respect to said guideway, means forming the side wall of said guideway opposite said working stretch of said belt and spaced therefrom a distance equal to the exterior diameter of the cans handled by said washer, said means cooperating with said working stretch of said belt to cause the cans contacted by said working stretch to be rotated and moved forwardly along said guideway by said working stretch, means causing said working stretch of said belt to bear against contacted cans, a series of identical nozzles centrally positioned below said guideway in said portion of said washer for discharging jets of hot water and steam upwardly into said guideway, the first nozzles being adapted to discharge jets of hot waterand the remaining nozzles to discharge jets of steam upwardly into said guideway, each of said nozzles having a lower chamber and jet channels leading upwardly from said chamber to the top of the nozzle, said jet channels located substantially in the same medial vertical plane through said nozzles and extending upwardly at various degrees of angularity, a subsequent endless belt similarly having a working stretch forming one side wall for said guideway in another portion of said washer and travelling in a forward direction with respect to said guideway, a heated wall for said guideway opposite said working stretch of said subsequent belt, and means for causing said working stretch of said subsequent belt to bear against contacted cans.

5. The device as set forth in claim 3 with each of said nozzles having a lower chamber and jet channels leading upwardly from said chamber to the top of the nozzle, said jet channels being located substantially in the same medial vertical plane through said nozzle and extending upwardly at various degrees of angularity.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,333,006 Welser Mar. 9,- 1920 1,555,431 Murphy Sept. 29, 1925 2,818,873- Carlson Jan. 7, 1958 

